The Ultimate Guide to Aloe Vera Benefits
If you reach for aloe vera when you get a burn, you already know how wonderful this plant can be and how it’s good for soothing pain. But there’s so much more to know about the aloe vera plant and so many reasons to make it a regular part of your beauty regimen.
In addition to all of the benefits of aloe, it’s found in many products you regularly use, like some dish soaps, hand sanitizers, and sunscreens, so you might be getting benefits right now while not even realizing it. It’s also easy to grow in the house, which means you can go directly to the source when you need it.
You’ve heard that aloe is good, especially for burns, but now you’ve begun seeing aloe vera drinks, and you’re noticing it in all sorts of products. Why is aloe such a popular ingredient, and what are the benefits?
Burns are a given, right? But why is aloe vera so good at soothing burns? When scientists dug into the efficacy of aloe vera on burns, they found cumulative evidence to support the use of aloe vera for first and second-degree burns. They did say, however, that further research was necessary before they could conclude that more severe burns would benefit from aloe vera. But from your perspective, any burns that are that severe shouldn’t be treated at home anyway and would require a visit to a medical health professional.
Sunburn is definitely a type of burn, and aloe is great for this type of skin damage, mainly because most sunburns are in the first-degree category, which is right in the aloe wheelhouse. The moisturizing quality of aloe, which is primarily made of water, is a big reason it’s so soothing. It’s also been suggested that the compound aloin has properties that help support your skin against everyday stressors.
Not only does aloe vera soothe a sunburn, but when it’s applied to the skin, a protein called metallothionein is generated within the skin cells. This protein scavenges hydroxyl radicals, which causes a chain of events to occur that supports damage caused by typical oxidative stress.
More than ever, we realize the importance of having a healthy and strong immune system, and aloe vera can play a role in that. Packed with micro-nutrients and compounds that can help support your health underlines why your whole body can benefit from aloe vera.
Anthraquinones are a strong but natural form of laxative, and they’re found in the skin of an aloe vera plant. It works by increasing intestinal water content to help flush mucus by stimulating secretion. In other words, aloe vera gets your digestive system moving, which can then reduce yeast formation and promote a healthy microbiome.
Hyperpigmentation can come from sun exposure or age. The aloin in aloe vera comes to the rescue in helping to brighten your complexion, helping to visibly lighten these spots.
While most of the leaf of an aloe vera plant is water, which is the ultimate in hydration, there is another element at work. The mucopolysaccharides or sugars in aloe help retain the moisture in your skin. This means that you get a two-fold effect of adding moisture and then locking it in for the ultimate in hydration.
One of the most popular uses of aloe vera is for reducing the signs of aging. The compounds in this leaf can stimulate the natural production of hyaluronic acid, collagen, and elastin, which in turn help your skin stay moisturized, firm, and supple. You’ll also notice an improvement in skin elasticity and a decrease in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
That’s a lot of work for one little plant to do, but an aloe vera plant is not as simple as it appears. It’s actually a very complex leaf with 75 potentially active constituents. Inside one aloe vera plant, you’ll find vitamins, enzymes, minerals, sugars, lignin, saponins, salicylic acids, and amino acids. Each of these compounds has a whole host of benefits it can provide the body, internally and externally.
Aloe vera is one of the hardest working ingredients out there. It gives your body so many different benefits, and it's incredibly easy to find and incorporate into a product.
If you’re looking to harness the power of aloe vera, try using a high-quality product that pulls naturally-derived and effective ingredients together for a simplified solution with remarkable results. No matter which route you choose, you’ll love how aloe naturally makes you look and feel.